Welcome back! Or, if you're new to our WTCC family, "Welcome!" We are off to a running start, literally and figuratively! This year marks our first attempt at a fall concert, and the reality of the limited number of rehearsals between now and October 24th has really begun to sink it, at least with the staff! The singers are just glad to be back together for another year.

Tuesdays are my favorite days, and if you've ever dropped into the Fellowship Hall of FHUMC around 3:45 or so, you might know why . . . it's the time of day when the singers begin to arrive, checking in and getting ready for their classes and rehearsals. It's happy chaos: as soon as the first "batch" of kids appears, the singing games begin . . . sounds of kids playing "A Qua Qua" or "Circle 'Round the Zero" fill the room as TTU choral interns set up the room, help parents with registration and welcome little ones into the circle. I get hugs and high fives, and hear all about what Marc and Jefferson learned at school today, and about Gage's new silly band ("it looks like a snake!") . . . these kids are so grown up that I can hardly remember how little they were last year.

Just before 4:00, there's one soft, high note, sung on "ooh" . . . and before you know it, everyone in the room is singing the same note. This is a signal, and when the note ends, the room is silent! The teachers have arrived to line up their classes and take them off to classrooms all over the church for musicianship and rehearsals. The Fellowship Hall is quiet . . . for about ten minutes . . . and then the next "wave" of happy chaos begins as tweenagers and teenagers hit the door.

There's a lot of socializing to squeeze in before the downbeat of rehearsal at 4:30, and not quite enough time for "happiness and togetherness," which, according to certain singers, is the real reason we're all here. Not to mention the fact that we have a lot of new kids this year; it's hard to make new friends when you're singing every moment! Which is why our veterans decided to take the whole choir out to the courtyard for a quick game of "duck, duck goose" between classes. Because as one kid observed, "Yeah, nothing says "welcome to choir' like someone chasing you around a circle and calling you a goose."

Happiness and togetherness. We have it going on. Amazing teachers, amazing kids, great music, and duck, duck, goose. It's enough to make anyone love Tuesdays.